Yellow Curry Lentils and Halloumi

If any combination, permutation, and/or all of the bellow apply to you, drop everything you’re doing right meow and make this!

You love lentils

Curry’s your jam

You enjoy a good hunk of cheese

You dig rice.

Things that are creamy make you say hey-o!

So basically, all of you’uns should get up on this like an undergrad in cutoff jorts on a mechanical bull.

Sorry bout the visual.

Or, you’re welcome?

But seriously, this meal is ridiculously straight-forward and gives you all of the following niceties:

-> Gluten-free

-> Healthy

-> Full of fiber

-> Vegetarian (you can totes add chicken)

-> Super steazy

-> Lightning quick to make

-> An easy go-to any night of the week

If not for the above, do it for the flavor, because this is cuh-ream-y. Don’t be afeard of the long grocery list – most of the items in the recipe are spices and you probably own them all already!

What do we do here to make this thing happen? We cook the lentils and the rice. We saute an onion with some funky fresh flavoful things. We add coconut milk, we add lentils, we add halloumi, we partaaaaaay!

Speaking of halloumi…

Have you even?

Please do!

I didn’t even know what halloumi was until recently. I thought it was made out of soy. It’s totally not. Halloumi is brined cheese made from a combo of sheep’s milk and goat’s milk and originates from Greece. Well, it’s kind of cheese, but it’s kind of not. It’s hard-ish, yet soft-ish. You can legit griill it…like ON a grill. Or put it in grilled cheese sandwiches. And you can roast it. You guys, it’s like if my soul cheese had a name, it would be called Halloumi.

It’s basically the cheese you’ve always wanted but never knew existed. Discover it with your mouth in order to fully grasp it’s power.

For Serving:

Cooked basmati rice

Fresh cilantrochopped

Instructions

Cook lentils according to package instructions.

While the lentils are cooking, heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and all of the spices and salt. Cook an additional 5 to 8 minutes, until onion is cooked through. Add the coconut milk and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat slightly but maintain a gentle boil for 10 minutes, until sauce has thickened slightly.

Stir the cooked lentils into the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the cubed halloumi and cook just until halloumi is hot, about 2 minutes.

Taste the lentil curry and add additional sea salt or spices to taste.

I’ve never heard of this cheese before! Maybe Fresh Market would have it, but I tried to say it out loud, and it kept sounding like a strange Hallo-weenie. Maybe I’ll just write it down so I can match words. Or, you could just bring me some and we’ll make this together. Yes. Let’s do that.

All of those reasons apply to me, and it’s been a while since I’ve been on a mechanical bull but some things are never forgotten! haha I’m Greek and I’ve never tried haloumi — ridiculous, right? I need to get on that, and no better time than when I make this!

Hi Jean! I’ll let you know if I make the recipe using lite coconut milk, but off the cuff, I would say the main thing would be the dish wouldn’t turn out as creamy. If you’re okay with that, lite coconut milk will definitely work – the curry will just have slightly less flavor and will not be as thick. Let us know if you try it out!! xo

I made this using Paneer instead of Haloumi, same idea, so delicious! Very easy to make and is the perfect compliment to rice. I also tried over roasted sweet potatoes and squash, still good. Adding to my recipe favorites!